Woman found on top of hood in suspected DUI crash

Collier County deputies found a woman asleep on the hood of her car after crashing into a ditch in Naples Thursday.

Friday, February 10th 2017, 12:41 PM EST

Updated:

Friday, February 10th 2017, 4:00 PM EST

Collier County deputies found a woman asleep on the hood of her car after crashing into a ditch in Naples Thursday.

Deputies suspected Bridgette Potvin-Novak, 55, was impaired. DUI tests were conducted, and Potvin-Novak was arrested on DUI charges as well as DUI with damage to property.

When authorities arrived on the scene in the 200 block of Ridge Drive, they found Novak on the hood of her BMW with her eyes closed. Her husband was also present having been called by Novak after the accident.

Novak told law enforcement she swerved to avoid a rabbit in the road and lost control. She crashed into the driveway of Jose Gurdian's home, broke off multiple bricks from the concrete and ruined landscaping. Deputies said the estimated cost of destruction exceeded $1000.

"I couldn't figure out how someone could have been going fast down this road," said Gurdian. "There's a stop sign less than 20 feet from where [she] drove off. It must have been going really fast to be able to have handled jumping over the entrance of the house. Thank God nobody was hurt."

A housekeeper was at home at the time of the crash and ran out to check out what happened. She told deputies she found Novak in the driver’s seat and knocked on the window to see if she was alright. Novak allegedly told the housekeeper she was okay and then proceeded to climb out of the passenger side window.

When deputies talked with Novak, they said her words were slurred, and she had a hard time keeping her balance. She reached into the car and pulled out her purse and proceeded to dump out the contents, the arrest report states.

Novak said she had not had any alcohol but was tired from being up since 5 a.m. and also took her prescription for Ativan, a benzodiazepine.

Novak was charged with felony DUI for at least her third violation within 10 years and misdemeanor DUI property damaged.